Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is right not to trust current VP Leni Robredo

Current Vice President Leni Robredo has been constantly under fire from the public ever since she was declared the “winner” of the second highest position in Philippine government in the 2016 Presidential Elections. She has never earned the respect of the voters who believe that her “win” was the result of electoral fraud and that it was former Senator Bongbong Marcos who won the tight race. Now she has truly lost the respect of President Rodrigo Duterte who was kind enough to give her a chance by giving her a position in his Cabinet despite her openly criticising him during the campaign period prior to the elections. Robredo’s relentless disparagement of Duterte’s war on drugs has, not surprisingly, finally earned his ire.

What’s surprising is Robredo acting surprised that Duterte doesn’t respect her. She comes across as obnoxious whenever she plays that overused victim card — as if she had done nothing wrong to be excluded from official functions of the Office of the President, including being uninvited to Duterte’s first Vin d’Honneur. One can be forgiven for saying that Robredo is cut from the same cloth as Duterte’s predecessor, former President BS Aquino since the latter had no idea at all why the public turned against him towards the end of his term.

At her age, Robredo should know respect is earned, not demanded. She should apply introspection and ask herself why she doesn’t get respect.

Some say that Robredo is either dense or simply slow for not realising that the people are so annoyed with her, particularly when she goes out in public visiting typhoon ravaged areas in expensive shoes. She now contradicts herself after using public relations gimmickry to portray herself as a “humble” and simple girl-next-door type of person. No wonder more and more people are seeing through the sham. The photo of her waiting for a bus near Magallanes made some people scratch their heads since there is no known bus stop at that particular spot.

Robredo and her handlers should now know that the public isn’t as dumb as they think. Unfortunately for Robredo, the public is disappointed that she is evidently not as smart as they thought she was. If she had any common sense, she would have known that playing the role of the Opposition would not earn her browny points with Duterte, a man who, at present, has the power to make her life miserable.

The problem with Robredo is she doesn’t know when to quit talking. She doesn’t know when to quit while ahead. What does she hope to gain by taking jabs at Duterte while she is supposedly part of his government? She’s just trying to distance herself too much from his policies while expecting him to “respect” her. Her expectation from someone who she thinks has no manners is too high. That’s just stupid.

What’s even dumber is the thought that there are people who think that Robredo could be an effective leader of 105 million Filipinos. She can’t even handle Duterte! She obviously doesn’t have the skill to handle different types of people. She can only handle people who praise her and who tell her what a wonderful job she is doing posing for glamour magazines.

Robredo is leading the charge in dismissing her detractors as mere “trolls” even when her own rabid supporters behave like packs of wolves, attacking anyone who criticises her. It’s as if she is a saint or a member of a royal family that the members of the public need to show deference to. Truth be told, her critics need to go on full gear in exposing Robredo’s irrational behaviour. We cannot allow the public to be misled into thinking that she is competent enough to handle the difficult job of the President just in case something happens to Duterte.

No, Robredo cannot handle an executive position. She may look good at ceremonial duties like cutting ribbons and shaking hands with dignitaries, but she has no vision for the country. She wouldn’t know how to handle the drug lords – some of whom are also Liberal Party allies. Worse, she will be just like the late former President Cory Aquino, who turned a blind eye to her allies running amok while she received all the accolades and praises from the international community for being the symbol of the so-called “peaceful revolution”. We all know that kind of bullshit doesn’t create jobs and bring the necessary change the country needs.

Robredo’s popularity quickly went down the drain after only six months in her post. She knew what to do to reverse the damage to her reputation, but she didn’t have the guts to do it. She knew all she had to do was cut off her ties with her Liberal Party mates who were dragging her down with them. She could have put an end to talks about organising rallies against Duterte. Robredo could have discouraged that Filipino-American woman Loida Lewis from promoting the idea that she would be a better President than Duterte, but she didn’t. Robredo just let the ouster discussions in chat groups go on and on until they were exposed. Members of the chat group also included her staunch supporters. Her lack of action against such talk of a power grab says a lot about her. Duterte is right not to trust her.

Ilda, you’ve said it right. Respect begets respect, and respect is being earned not demanded . From the very beginning we never respect Leni Robredo because of frauds in her election as VP. Much more the way she acts and the way she mishandled the situations of going against Pres Digong; i.e., her litany of Marcos Martial Law and her tirade against the Marcoses; her actions of false humility that revealed her dumbness and idiocy; the latest was her going out of the country when there was typhoon Nina raging in her own place Bicol and her subsequent credit grabbing… Read more »

She can’t seem to wrap her mind around why Duterte is left with no choice but to treat her in such a way. Simple lang naman. She claims right to dissent. Okay, Imagine if Pres. Duterte turns the table around and express dissent against her, again and again, in public. He could even mention specifics. Camote talaga. It’s Hopelessly D*mb. Add to this the audacity of Robredo’s camp to float the idea that the vice presidency will be stolen from her. Ano yan, miss universe Pia Wurtzbach lang na contest?

I think, all Leni Robredo did, when her husband was alive; was to pleasure her husband… Leni Robredo is the dumbest politician, I have ever seen. I don’t think, she has enough brain, even to run as a Dog Catcher ! Would you hire a person, in the management position in your company, without any Managerial Experience ? Would you hire someone, who flunked her Bar exam ? We have very serious problems in our country. They cannot be solved by: “pa charming”; modeling in magazines; shaking hands with people; low IQ/EQ people; irresponsible people; amoral people; people who are… Read more »

JUST DISTRIBUTE HACIENDA LUISITA TO THE REAL OWNERS BASE ON THE 1957 AGREEMENT. THAT LAND BELONGS TO THE FARMERS SINCE THE PRE SPANISH ERA BEFORE IT WAS SEQUESTERED BY THE SPANISH GOVERNOR FOR NO REASON. THERE SHOULD BE NO MANEUVERING LAWS ON THAT. THE FARMERS SHOULD NEVER PAY A SINGLE CENT ON THAT. IT’S THEIR LAND.

HACIENDA LUISITA BELONGS TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT, FOR THE REASON IS THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS PAID BY LATE ISIDRA AQUINO, BELONGS TO THE PHILIPPINE TREASURY OF THE 19 MILLION DOLLARS PAID TO THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT OF EMILIO AGUINALDO. THIS GREEDY AQUINOS OR SHALL WE SAY MARCIAL BONIFACIO AKA NINOY AQUINO, WHO DIED WITH A MALAYSIAN PASSPORT,THEREFORE NOT A PILIPINO WORTH DYING FOR.

Just wondering guys. Is this the very first time that a PH president has a VP that comes from a different party or from the other side of the fence? Wouldnt it just be better if the president chooses his/her own VP (and not be elected)? Basically, I am not that surprised that things like this happens. As long as both entities do not work for the country and the people then you will get such things. In short, maybe its about time to change the election system when it comes to choosing the VP. I cant imagine that president… Read more »

There are many instances in Philippine politics that had the president and VP coming from opposing parties but not lije this current tandem. I mean, from 1992 – 1998 Pres FVR (Fidel V. Ramos) and VP Erap Estrada had a working albeit not that cohesive partnership and so is Erap who became prexy in 1998 – 2000 who had GMA (Gloria Arroyo) as VP. However the presidency of Carlos Garcia from 1957 – 1961 was as icy as this current politicos when Diosdado Macapagal became VP. Their partnership was similar to Digong and Leni because Macapagal (GMA’s dad) regularly received… Read more »

Leni Robredo is a fake Vice President. Aquino and his relative: the COMELEC Commissioner, did a SMARTMAGIC and a HOCUS PCOS, to make this woman win the Vice Presidency; by fraudulent means… It is planned, that , if Pres. Duterte wins…the Aquino Cojuangco political axis will do an EDSA like power grab to oust Pres. Duterte. This is the reason of the “extra judicial killings” investigations. They were hoping, the U.S., will help them oust Pres. Duterte. Unfortunately, their patrons: Hilary Clinton and Obama, lost the U.S. election… Leni Robredo is their “cling of hope” , to return to power,… Read more »

Ramil,
Thanks. Its just a matter of common sense why I made that statement.

Furthermore, I would change the netire set-up of the PH presidential election. Its yet again that a presidenresident based on 39% of the votes.
I think that any president should have at least 50% + 1 vote. Or in other words: a absolute total majority of votes.

I wouldnt want to win knowing that more than 60% did NOT vote for me. That will give me the creeps.

So either its the majority vote or forming a government/parliament based on coalition.

Rosebl, to be more accurate/precise: 50% of the votes + 1 vote. And yes even when there are only 2 contenders/candidates. In USA they do it also that way but through the electoral college/vote (Trump was the winner). But if you look at the number of votes Clinton won. So that system doesnt wash. All I can say is this: I dont want to be a president with only 40% of the votes. It just means that 60% did NOT vote for me. And 60 is still the majority. In a situation where a president has just less than 50%,… Read more »

true, and last month when I’d watched a program on CNN Philippines on their tv show called The Source on an interview with former Senador Nene Pimentel, that he liked the idea on the proposed Charter Change, by choosing the president & VP on the election, it must be either on the same party or under the same party coalition must be chosen by the voters instead of choosing by different party by these 2 positions just like what in the US do during the presidential election. And he is right & that should be on our proposed Federal style… Read more »

Hyden, to add a few things. – As far as I can remeber there never was a case of questioning the result of the elections (re count, fraud, rigging etc). – block voting is non-existing in my country (as far as I know) Example: if after the elections, the results look this this: Political party A has 40 seats Political party B has 30 seats Political party C has 20 seats Political party D has 10 seats Political party E has 5 seats Then political party A is NOT the winner and goes into power. It still needs to form… Read more »

Hyden, In my country we have about 12 (national) political parties. Each party draws up (compiles) their own list with people who YOU can vote for (during national elections). But no matter what, you are – primarily – voting for a political party. In total there are 150 ‘seats’ available. So the winner (a political party) must have 50%+1 ( = 75 + 1 = 76 seats) to get into power by ONE political party. Those 76 seats equals about 6 to 7 million votes (out of a total of 12 to 13 million eligible votes, With a total population… Read more »

That is just one example how a country is shown that it lacks unity! It’s really difficult to unite the people wherein the leaders themselves are not united! The Philippines for a long time now is forever fragmented not only because of her being geographically a nation of many islands but also of other factors as well. We have preferences and differences in language spoken – english vs. filipino, culture, religion, educational attainment, political beliefs, socio-economic ranking, etc.. These factors contribute to this very slow ascent to that elusive collective! Filipinos tends to be more regionalistic than nationalistic! And this… Read more »

Pill, As far as I know, there is no country where 90% of the voters vote for one political party and all for the same reason/causes. Maybe with the exception of China (one party system), North Korea and Russia (to name just a few). Because we are all individuals and come from different ‘cribs’, we all have a different (political) view. When all my basic needs are met, when I have a job, when I can develop myself as an indivudal, when my future (pension/retirement) is settled, I can expand my (political) view and look beyond borders. So, lets give… Read more »

You are talking of Political Parties…we are talking of individual candidates in popular voting system (Presidential)…

Indeed, the Political Party must have a 50% + 1% majority in a Parliamentary system. This is the reason, they have coalitions of parties, to elect the Prime Minister…the Prime Minister , must have this majority to be elected !

Leni Robredo is the linchpin of the Liberal Party. If you take her out, all their plans fall apart. The only reason why the Liberal Party refuses to die is because they have a puppet in the line of succession. If that puppet is knocked out, it will be game over for them. Robredo’s removal should therefore be the top priority. De Lima and Trillanes can be ignored for now. The Liberal Party is starting to raise Robredo’s profile abroad as insurance in case she’s removed. They know Robredo’s local base is very weak, so they’re trying to build up… Read more »

Sorry, Leni Robredo is a tool. And as tools are replaceable, so is she. The LP opposition is not wanting or hungry for loud, megaphone-hungry mouths because that’s seemingly a prerequisite to be in their party. In other words, take her out of the picture, and something else will simply her place. It’s not the visible opposition that the Duterte administration and his supporters need to worry about; it’s those who are hidden, yet influential, that need to be brought into the light. As long as Filipinos keep focusing only on the surface, they will never truly be able to… Read more »